WASHINGTON – U.S. defense officials say Gen. John Allen, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, has been cleared of allegations of sending potentially inappropriate emails to a civilian woman linked to the sex scandal that ousted David Petraeus as CIA director.

The officials said Tuesday the Defense Department's inspector general found the concerns about the Allen emails to be "unsubstantiated."

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Allen had maintained he did nothing wrong.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because an official Pentagon announcement had not been made.

Allen had been announced as President Barack Obama's choice as the next U.S. commander of NATO forces in Europe, although the nomination was not sent to the Senate for confirmation. The defense officials said Tuesday the White House had not decided whether to go forward with the nomination.